opinion essay extended family

Defining Extended Family as a Phenomenon Essay (Critical Writing)

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An extended family can be defined as a group of more than two generations of relatives who live together or very lose to one another. Extended families can include grandparents, spouses of children, cousins, aunts, and uncles. It also includes step children and their kin in cases when there has been second or more marriages.

American families are associated with this diversity. The traditional family has undergone various changes with factors such as divorce, remarriage, early pregnancy and changes in social values that have led to these changes. The American families of an extended nature comprises of the traditional nuclear family with husband, wife and children; joint-custody families of divorced parents sharing child custody; cohabiting families where unmarried men and women may or may not be sharing responsibility of raising children. Others include: single-parent families, homo-sexual families headed by gays or lesbians, and grandparents parenting grandchildren, due to the illness, death or non-involvement of the parent.

The American family can be looked into different perspectives as: black or white, large or small, wealthy or poor, or somewhere in between, a mother-headed, father-headed, or childless family, first or second time around, happy or miserable. The first thing to remember about the American family is that it doesn’t exist but families do exist in all kinds of economic and marital situations, as all of us can see and witness. Often, families, may be formed in various ways but, it remains essential to recall that most families achieve same tasks like child up bring, provision, socializing members, and assigning duties amongst the members.

The extended family gives many adults with a strong family base providing an intimacy and love. Extended family offers maximum chances for the growth of a person through its relations amid various groups.

Membership in a family can be decided only by each member of that family. It is the role of early teachers to be aware of who constitutes a child’s family and not to define the child’s family for them. Hence teachers should not try to alter a family’s view about its member in that family. Some factors that make families different from one another include: Ethnicity, race, culture, economy and geographical origin. It is important that these differences are considered in order to increase understanding on the part of teachers.

Ethnicity refers to a concept of a group of people based on a combination of religion, race, and cultural history. It describes a similarity transmitted by the family over generations. It is more than race, religion or national geographic origin. Ethnicity entails unconscious and conscious processes that accomplish a psychological need for historical continuity and identity. Ethnicity is sustained through unique family customs, proverbs and stories, norms and taboos, celebrations, foods and religious ceremonies. Differences have been noted between the notions of self-concept and ethnic identity. Families frequently find it hard to instill ethnic pride in their children mostly amongst the pluralistic society.

Culture refers to the unique aspects of life and history of various ethnic groups. Cultural differences often indicate differences in views on the family and the community, differences in expectations of children, differences in child up brings and differences in the values placed on education. Teachers should note that culture is learned not biological as they cannot identify a family’s culture by how the family members look but each individual learns his culture’s rules through daily living. For instance, table manners, interpersonal interactions and ways of demonstrating respect. An individual’s characteristics are both cultural and individual while the unique personality traits are not culturally based. Cultural behaviors are based in groups thus culture is characteristic of groups. Individuals are entitled to different degrees within a culture. Some families and individuals place more emphasis on cultural traditions than do others. Therefore, some cultures may place greater emphasis on individuality or conformity than others.

Members of a family may be associated in certain cultural behavior but not capable of describing the rules. This is because young children begin to learn their culture in their own home environments thus, behaviors seem natural to them. Not only can they not tell you why they engage in these behaviors, but also likely they are not conscious of all of the behaviors they have learned from their culture. Teachers would find it convenient to consider not only race, but also ethnicity and culture. There are higher chances that knowledge of Socio-cultural factors can give greater comprehension to teachers than gen concerning physical differences. Thus, including understanding of racial differences is most useful in the context of cultural and ethnic differences as well. Sometimes teachers unintentionally emphasize differences among groups of people and the effect is an insult rather than respectful toward diversity.

In the contemporary United States, families have vastly different experiences related to income and other resources. The Children’s Defense Fund has reported that in 1998, 22.7 percent of children under age six in the United States lived in poverty. For various ethnic groups, this proportion is even higher. There is no mystery about how to help families off welfare and out of poverty. States must provide the education, training, and work experience that parents need to compete for jobs with decent wages. In most cases teacher understanding of diversity does not include differences by family income or the traditional term, social class. Yet, financial resources have a tremendous impact on families, their practices, and their values. Families with low income have to learn the meaning of meeting their children’s’ basic requirements. States also need to remove the obstacles that often prevent parents from leaving welfare for work, lack of health care, transportation and child care.

Teachers or schools to positively respond to the family’s diversity, their main goal for understanding is to provide an inclusive environment. In that each child and family can feel a sense of belonging, no matter what similarities or differences they have with others in the group. This is a goal difficult to achieve because of many societal factors. As teachers plan for their groups of children and as they set their classroom rules and policies, checking for inclusiveness must be part of the process. The important act is what teachers will do when they realize that their classrooms are not inclusive.

In conclusion, families are different in many ways. It is important that teachers and schools work to increase their understanding of differences in families and interact with these differences sensitively. Teachers should accept the differences in families in which each child comes from and create a feeling of belonging for the celebration of diversity in families. Family members who view themselves as very different from teachers and other school personnel are less likely to be involved in their children’s education. Teachers should create an environment that encourages various types of family involvement so that children benefits from home and school participation.

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Defining Extended Family as a Phenomenon

This essay about the extended family explores its definition and the integral role it plays across different cultures and societies. Unlike the nuclear family, which typically includes parents and their children, the extended family encompasses a wider array of relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The essay highlights how extended families provide crucial social, economic, and emotional support, sharing resources and responsibilities that benefit all members. It discusses the evolution of these family structures in modern industrialized societies, where physical proximity may be less common but digital communication helps maintain strong familial bonds. The essay also examines the extended family’s role in childcare and eldercare, underscoring its importance in both traditional and contemporary settings. Overall, the extended family is portrayed as a dynamic institution that significantly influences individual development and community cohesion, adapting to cultural and socio-economic changes while continuing to provide support and continuity.

How it works

The notion of the extended family stands as a cornerstone in the examination of familial dynamics and societal frameworks across diverse cultural landscapes. Unlike the more narrowly defined nuclear family structure, which typically revolves around parental figures and their offspring, the extended family encompasses a broader array of kinship ties. This expansive familial constellation incorporates not only parents and children but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and sometimes even more remote relatives, bound together by ties of blood, marriage, or adoption.

Historically, extended families have served as linchpins in providing a multifaceted tapestry of social, economic, and emotional sustenance among its members. Particularly in non-Western societies, extended families often cohabit in communal dwellings or maintain intimate bonds, facilitating the pooling of resources, responsibilities, and living arrangements. Such a communal ethos fosters resilience and prosperity, particularly in cultures with agrarian or collective orientations.

The extended family structure transcends mere cohabitation, engendering profound interactions and relationships that shape individual conduct and cultural norms. Grandparents, for instance, assume pivotal roles in the upbringing of grandchildren, transmitting cultural mores and ancestral wisdom. This intergenerational exchange bequeaths a sense of continuity and heritage, enriching the familial tapestry.

In contemporary industrialized societies, the extended family’s function has metamorphosed amidst the currents of geographic mobility, economic exigencies, and the pursuit of personal aspirations. While physical proximity may wane, the bonds of extended kinship endure. Technological advancements, such as digital communication platforms, facilitate the maintenance of these connections across vast distances. Occasions like family reunions and milestone events serve as conduits for reaffirming familial ties and fostering communal solidarity.

Furthermore, the extended family serves as an indispensable bulwark, furnishing both emotional succor and material assistance. During crises or life transitions, such as unemployment or illness, extended kin often proffer aid and solace, mitigating the burdens of adversity. This safety net is instrumental in bolstering psychological resilience and financial stability, underscoring the extended family’s role as a bastion against life’s vicissitudes.

Moreover, the extended family assumes pivotal functions in caregiving, spanning both childcare and eldercare domains. In many cultural milieus, grandparents wield influence in child-rearing practices, providing invaluable guidance and enabling parental pursuit of vocations or education. Similarly, as populations age, extended kin often shoulder the mantle of primary caretakers for elderly relatives, embodying an ethos of filial duty and solidarity.

In summation, the extended family emerges as a dynamic and multifaceted institution, transcending conventional notions of kinship. It serves as a nexus of emotional, economic, and social sustenance, permeating the communal fabric and shaping individual trajectories. Despite variances in cultural and socio-economic contexts, the extended family remains a linchpin of societal cohesion, offering a broader support nexus than its nuclear counterpart. As societies evolve, so too will the contours and functions of extended kinship, attuning to emergent realities while upholding its timeless legacy of support and continuity.

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Extended Family Essays

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The Advantages and Challenges of Living in an Extended Family: A Comprehensive Guide

Extended family.

An extended family refers to a family structure that includes not only parents and children but also other relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. This type of family structure is common in many cultures around the world, particularly those with collectivist values.

There are several advantages to having an extended family. One of the most significant advantages is the support system it provides. With more relatives involved, there are more resources available in terms of financial, emotional, and practical support. For example, grandparents may provide childcare while parents are working, or aunts and uncles may offer guidance and support to teenagers struggling with personal issues.

In addition, being part of an extended family can help individuals develop stronger connections to their cultural heritage and traditions. This can include religious rituals, cultural customs, or even family recipes that are passed down from generation to generation.

However, having an extended family can also pose challenges. Communication and relationship dynamics can be complex and may sometimes lead to conflict. For example, disagreements about parenting styles or financial support can lead to tension and strained relationships.

Overall, the benefits of having an extended family often outweigh the challenges. By working together and supporting one another, extended families can provide a strong sense of belonging and connection that can be extremely valuable in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world.

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Essay about Family: What It Is and How to Nail It

Humans naturally seek belonging within families, finding comfort in knowing someone always cares. Yet, families can also stir up insecurities and mental health struggles.

Family dynamics continue to intrigue researchers across different fields. Every year, new studies explore how these relationships shape our minds and emotions.

In this article, our dissertation service will guide you through writing a family essay. You can also dive into our list of topics for inspiration and explore some standout examples to spark your creativity.

What is Family Essay

A family essay takes a close look at the bonds and experiences within families. It's a common academic assignment, especially in subjects like sociology, psychology, and literature.

So, what's involved exactly? Simply put, it's an exploration of what family signifies to you. You might reflect on cherished family memories or contemplate the portrayal of families in various media.

What sets a family essay apart is its personal touch. It allows you to express your own thoughts and experiences. Moreover, it's versatile – you can analyze family dynamics, reminisce about family customs, or explore other facets of familial life.

If you're feeling uncertain about how to write an essay about family, don't worry; you can explore different perspectives and select topics that resonate with various aspects of family life.

Tips For Writing An Essay On Family Topics

A family essay typically follows a free-form style, unless specified otherwise, and adheres to the classic 5-paragraph structure. As you jot down your thoughts, aim to infuse your essay with inspiration and the essence of creative writing, unless your family essay topics lean towards complexity or science.

Here are some easy-to-follow tips from our essay service experts:

• Focus on a Specific Aspect: Instead of a broad overview, delve into a specific angle that piques your interest, such as exploring how birth order influences sibling dynamics or examining the evolving role of grandparents in modern families.
• Share Personal Anecdotes: Start your family essay introduction with a personal touch by sharing stories from your own experiences. Whether it's about a favorite tradition, a special trip, or a tough time, these stories make your writing more interesting.
• Use Real-life Examples: Illustrate your points with concrete examples or anecdotes. Draw from sources like movies, books, historical events, or personal interviews to bring your ideas to life.
• Explore Cultural Diversity: Consider the diverse array of family structures across different cultures. Compare traditional values, extended family systems, or the unique hurdles faced by multicultural families.
• Take a Stance: Engage with contentious topics such as homeschooling, reproductive technologies, or governmental policies impacting families. Ensure your arguments are supported by solid evidence.
• Delve into Psychology: Explore the psychological underpinnings of family dynamics, touching on concepts like attachment theory, childhood trauma, or patterns of dysfunction within families.
• Emphasize Positivity: Share uplifting stories of families overcoming adversity or discuss strategies for nurturing strong, supportive family bonds.
• Offer Practical Solutions: Wrap up your essay by proposing actionable solutions to common family challenges, such as fostering better communication, achieving work-life balance, or advocating for family-friendly policies.

Family Essay Topics

When it comes to writing, essay topics about family are often considered easier because we're intimately familiar with our own families. The more you understand about your family dynamics, traditions, and experiences, the clearer your ideas become.

If you're feeling uninspired or unsure of where to start, don't worry! Below, we have compiled a list of good family essay topics to help get your creative juices flowing. Whether you're assigned this type of essay or simply want to explore the topic, these suggestions from our history essay writer are tailored to spark your imagination and prompt meaningful reflection on different aspects of family life.

So, take a moment to peruse the list. Choose the essay topics about family that resonate most with you. Then, dive in and start exploring your family's stories, traditions, and connections through your writing.

• Supporting Family Through Tough Times
• Staying Connected with Relatives
• Empathy and Compassion in Family Life
• Strengthening Bonds Through Family Gatherings
• Quality Time with Family: How Vital Is It?
• Navigating Family Relationships Across Generations
• Learning Kindness and Generosity in a Large Family
• Communication in Healthy Family Dynamics
• Forgiveness in Family Conflict Resolution
• Building Trust Among Extended Family
• Defining Family in Today's World
• Understanding Nuclear Family: Various Views and Cultural Differences
• Understanding Family Dynamics: Relationships Within the Family Unit
• What Defines a Family Member?
• Modernizing the Nuclear Family Concept
• Exploring Shared Beliefs Among Family Members
• Evolution of the Concept of Family Love Over Time
• Examining Family Expectations
• Modern Standards and the Idea of an Ideal Family
• Life Experiences and Perceptions of Family Life
• Genetics and Extended Family Connections
• Utilizing Family Trees for Ancestral Links
• The Role of Younger Siblings in Family Dynamics
• Tracing Family History Through Oral Tradition and Genealogy
• Tracing Family Values Through Your Family Tree
• Exploring Your Elder Sister's Legacy in the Family Tree
• Connecting Daily Habits to Family History
• Documenting and Preserving Your Family's Legacy
• Navigating Online Records and DNA Testing for Family History
• Tradition as a Tool for Family Resilience
• Involving Family in Daily Life to Maintain Traditions
• Creating New Traditions for a Small Family
• The Role of Traditions in Family Happiness
• Family Recipes and Bonding at House Parties
• Quality Time: The Secret Tradition for Family Happiness
• The Joy of Cousins Visiting for Christmas
• Including Family in Birthday Celebrations
• Balancing Traditions and Unconditional Love
• Building Family Bonds Through Traditions

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Family Essay Example

For a better grasp of the essay on family, our team of skilled writers has crafted a great example. It looks into the subject matter, allowing you to explore and understand the intricacies involved in creating compelling family essays. So, check out our meticulously crafted sample to discover how to craft essays that are not only well-written but also thought-provoking and impactful.

Final Outlook

In wrapping up, let's remember: a family essay gives students a chance to showcase their academic skills and creativity by sharing personal stories. However, it's important to stick to academic standards when writing about these topics. We hope our list of topics sparked your creativity and got you on your way to a reflective journey. And if you hit a rough patch, you can just ask us to ' do my essay for me ' for top-notch results!

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FAQs on Writing an Essay about Family

Family essays seem like something school children could be assigned at elementary schools, but family is no less important than climate change for our society today, and therefore it is one of the most central research themes.

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions on family-related topics. Before you conduct research, scroll through them and find out how to write an essay about your family.

How to Write an Essay About Your Family History?

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IELTS Essay: Family & Friends

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 0 Comment

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of family and friends from the general training exam.

If you want to support my efforts to write these essays and also receive my exclusive Ebooks, check out my Patreon (where I’m currently running a discount)!

IELTS Essay: Family & Friends

Some people believe that family is more important than friends.

To what extent do you agree and disagree?

Many believe that family obligations outweigh those towards friends. In my opinion, though this varies by individual to some extent, family holds the stronger claim.

Those who feel friends are more important argue that as an adult, friends are more influential. While still living at home, there is little doubt that one’s family has more sway; this reverses after university when a person lives on their own. They will probably end up spending more time with friends from work or school, especially if they are living far from home. Additionally, friends are chosen and family is not. This autonomy in selecting a circle of friends means that they are more likely to, relative to one’s family, share similar beliefs and personal qualities.

Nonetheless, friends pass in and out of life and family lasts forever. Family has, naturally, the greatest influence in the developmental years of life when researchers believe the majority of identity formation takes place. Coupled with genetic factors, this is why family members have similar attitudes and beliefs, in general. Unlike friends, a person’s relationship with their family, assuming they are not estranged, will span their entire life. At various points throughout adulthood, most people will turn to their immediate or extended family for critical advice or support, strengthening familial bonds. This enduring link makes family a more powerful force than friends.

In conclusion, though friends can take on increasing value, family have the greatest importance taken as a whole. It is therefore key that families stay in touch and maintain friendly relations.

1. Many believe that family obligations outweigh those towards friends. 2. In my opinion, though this varies by individual to some extent, family holds the stronger claim.

• Paraphrase the essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Those who feel friends are more important argue that as an adult, friends are more influential. 2. While still living at home, there is little doubt that one’s family has more sway; this reverses after university when a person lives on their own. 3. They will probably end up spending more time with friends from work or school, especially if they are living far from home. 4. Additionally, friends are chosen and family is not. 5. This autonomy in selecting a circle of friends means that they are more likely to, relative to one’s family, share similar beliefs and personal qualities.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Write about it specifically.
• Add more support for the same main idea.
• Conclude with a strong statement.

1. Nonetheless, friends pass in and out of life and family lasts forever. 2. Family has, naturally, the greatest influence in the developmental years of life when researchers believe the majority of identity formation takes place. 3. Coupled with genetic factors, this is why family members have similar attitudes and beliefs, in general. 4. Unlike friends, a person’s relationship with their family, assuming they are not estranged, will span their entire life. 5. At various points throughout adulthood, most people will turn to their immediate or extended family for critical advice or support, strengthening familial bonds. 6. This enduring link makes family a more powerful force than friends.

• Write a new topic sentence with a main idea at the end.
• Begin to explain your main idea.
• Continue developing it.
• Make sure your arguments are specific.
• Your arguments should be nuanced.
• Relate it back to your main idea and the overall question.

1. In conclusion, though friends can take on increasing value, family have the greatest importance taken as a whole. 2. It is therefore key that families stay in touch and maintain friendly relations.

• Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
• Add a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean?

Many believe that family obligations outweigh those towards friends. In my opinion, though this varies by individual to some extent , family holds the stronger claim .

Those who feel friends are more important argue that as an adult, friends are more influential . While still living at home, there is little doubt that one’s family has more sway ; this reverses after university when a person lives on their own . They will probably end up spending more time with friends from work or school, especially if they are living far from home. Additionally , friends are chosen and family is not. This autonomy in selecting a circle of friends means that they are more likely to, relative to one’s family, share similar beliefs and personal qualities .

Nonetheless, friends pass in and out of life and family lasts forever. Family has, naturally , the greatest influence in the developmental years of life when researchers believe the majority of identity formation takes place . Coupled with genetic factors , this is why family members have similar attitudes and beliefs , in general . Unlike friends , a person’s relationship with their family, assuming they are not estranged , will span their entire life . At various points throughout adulthood , most people will turn to their immediate or extended family for critical advice or support , strengthening familial bonds. This enduring link makes family a more powerful force than friends.

In conclusion, though friends can take on increasing value , family have the greatest importance taken as a whole . It is therefore key that families stay in touch and maintain friendly relations .

obligations duties

outweigh stronger than

varies there is difference

to some extent to a degree

stronger claim better belief

influential shape/sway

there is little doubt not much question

sway influence

reverses changes course

lives on their own not living at home

end up finally

especially in particular

far from distantly

additionally also

autonomy freedom

selecting choosing

circle of friends closest friends

relative to related to

personal qualities characteristics, personality

pass in and out of life not permanent fixtures

lasts stays

naturally of course

greatest influence biggest force

developmental years when growing up

researchers scientists

majority most of

identity formation takes place personalities begin to form

coupled with genetic factors combined with natural elements

attitudes views

beliefs opinions

in general overall

unlike friends in contrast to friends

estranged no longer have a relationship with, became strangers

span entire width

entire life whole life

various points different parts

throughout adulthood as an adult

turn to seek help from

immediate or extended family close family and more distant relatives

critical advice good suggestions

support help

strengthening familial bonds making families closer

enduring link strong relationship

more powerful force influential

take on increasing value becoming more important

taken as a whole overall

therefore thus

stay in touch keep in contact

maintain friendly relations still on good terms with

Pronunciation

ˌɒblɪˈgeɪʃənz   aʊtˈweɪ   ˈveəriz   tuː sʌm ɪksˈtɛnt həʊldz   ˈstrɒŋgə kleɪm ˈɑːgjuː   ˌɪnflʊˈɛnʃəl ðeər ɪz ˈlɪtl daʊt sweɪ rɪˈvɜːsɪz   lɪvz ɒn ðeər əʊn ɛnd ʌp   ɪsˈpɛʃəli   fɑː frɒm   əˈdɪʃənli ɔːˈtɒnəmi   sɪˈlɛktɪŋ   ˈsɜːkl ɒv frɛndz ˈrɛlətɪv tuː   ʃeə   ˈpɜːsnl ˈkwɒlɪtiz pɑːs ɪn ænd aʊt ɒv laɪf   lɑːsts   ˈnæʧrəli , ˈgreɪtɪst ˈɪnflʊəns   dɪˌvɛləpˈmɛntl jɪəz   rɪˈsɜːʧəz   məˈʤɒrɪti   aɪˈdɛntɪti fɔːˈmeɪʃən teɪks pleɪs ˈkʌpld wɪð ʤɪˈnɛtɪk ˈfæktəz ˈætɪtjuːdz   bɪˈliːfs ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl ʌnˈlaɪk frɛndz ɪsˈtreɪnʤd spæn   ɪnˈtaɪə laɪf ˈveərɪəs pɔɪnts   θru(ː)ˈaʊt əˈdʌlthʊd tɜːn tuː   ɪˈmiːdiət ɔːr ɪksˈtɛndɪd ˈfæmɪli   ˈkrɪtɪkəl ədˈvaɪs   səˈpɔːt ˈstrɛŋθənɪŋ ˈfæmɪliəl bɒndz ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ lɪŋk   mɔː ˈpaʊəfʊl fɔːs   teɪk ɒn ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ ˈvæljuː ˈteɪkən æz ə həʊl ˈðeəfɔː   steɪ ɪn tʌʧ   meɪnˈteɪn ˈfrɛndli rɪˈleɪʃənz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many believe that family o_______________s o___________h those towards friends. In my opinion, though this v_______s by individual t_____________t , family h______s the s______________m .

Those who feel friends are more important a_______e that as an adult, friends are more i______________l . While still living at home, t____________________t that one’s family has more s_____y ; this r__________s after university when a person l____________________n . They will probably e_______p spending more time with friends from work or school, e____________y if they are living f___________m home. A________________y , friends are chosen and family is not. This a___________y in s___________g a c________________s means that they are more likely to, r________________o one’s family, s___________e similar beliefs and p_____________________s .

Nonetheless, friends p________________________e and family l______s forever. Family has, n______________y , the g________________e in the d_____________________s of life when r_________________s believe the m_____________y of i_______________________n t_____________e . C__________________________s , this is why family members have similar a_____________s and b_________s , i________________l . U_______________s , a person’s relationship with their family, assuming they are not e______________d , will s_____n their e____________e . At v__________________________________d , most people will t________o their i_____________________________________y for c__________________e or s__________t , s______________________________s. This e____________k makes family a m____________________e than friends.

In conclusion, though friends can t_________n i____________________e , family have the greatest importance t____________________e . It is t_____________e key that families s______________h and m_________________________s .

Listening Practice

Listen below and use the activities in here to practice:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and practice with these ideas :

https://www.wired.com/gallery/long-distance-gear-to-stay-connected/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

• Do you talk about yourself to your friends?
• Do you like to listen or talk with your friends?
• Do you often change your mind about your friends?
• Is it important to have friends?

Writing Practice

Write about the related question below and then check with my sample answer:

It is better for children if the whole family including aunts, uncles and so on are involved in a child’s upbringing, rather than just their parents.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Whole Family Raising Children

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THE ROLE OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY

In traditional, pre-industrial societies, the family fulfilled central functions for the survival of society itself and for its individual members. Murdock claims that the family has and had four functions:

Sexual (it contains a controlled outlet for sexual gratification which could otherwise lead to conflict and jealousies).

Reproductive (Allows adult to know the biological parents of children, therefore avoiding incest and delineating lines of descents).

Economic (it functions as a productive and consumption unit, ensuring the survival of the family).

Educational (Passes on the knowledge and skills from one generation to the next).

        In pre-industrial societies production largely depended on the amount of family labour accessible to in the land and the extended family was the most appropriate unit.

The extended family is defined as a grouping broader than the nuclear family which is related by descent, marriage or adoption. It existed as a structure of collective responsibility for its members even if they did not all live together in the same household.

         One of Young and Wilmot’s work showed that the extended family survived well into the 20 th  century( their thesis fits in with the broad thrust of the functionalist theories) they argue that  while the short term consequences of industrialisation may have been the disruption of the family it has created a stronger nuclear family.

However it doesn’t mean that the extended family has ceased to be important.

This is a preview of the whole essay

   Rosser and Harris found out that while the nuclear family became the family focus, the extended family continued to have a role, a modified role. Better communication, such as telephones and better cars means that the contact between extended families over long distances is much easier than in the past.

        Some problems that the extended family faced in the pre –industrial society was due to the fact that the development of wage labour broke up the household as a unit of production. With the growth of capitalism in the 18 th  century, production was carried out not by members of the family but by workers that got paid a wage for their labour.The family became a unit of consumption rather than production; its members no longer worked together but rather used the wages they had earned to buy goods which they consumed as a family unit.

        With industrial societies the extended family was a disadvantage because the nuclear family worked as a unit of production. Functions of wider kinship have been taken over by specialised agencies such as welfare state and also the nuclear family was more geographical mobile - able to search for work.

Furthermore, being in an extended family young people couldn’t be as independent as they desire to be. They needed to be independent of the families to find their own occupations and social positions. The family is not required to ascribe status.

        The advantages of the extended family system were that there is no welfare state. The extended family provides welfare, assistance, training, etc.

Secondly, it helps reduce the level of social conflict. Problems are resolved in the family and not by law and last but not least people develop a strong sense of attachment and identity to a group or an area.

Parson claimed that the industrial revolution weakened the extended family by taking away crucial economic and social functions from the family. However, an alternative approach comes from Anderson who has argued that the early industrial family actually helped to form the extended family.

Anderson in the 19 th  century, using data from the Preston census found that there was an increase in the size of the family at about this time-23% of households contained family members other than the nuclear family. She explains this by saying that the increase in jobs provided by industrialisation meant that more distant relatives were attracted to the town and came to live with their families already there. Additional members of a household lowered the share of the rent paid by each individual and finally someone stayed at home looking after the children and some worked in factories. (It was normal in factory towns for employers to recruit through kin).

        The extended family faded away by the industrialisation process and the nuclear family became the predominant family form, this is due to the reduced size of the family, women are not having so many babies and the recent growth in lone parent families. The welfare state has taken responsibility for the ill, the aged and the unemployed but the extended family does often still assist in these areas, particularly in times of crisis, e.g. death.

Increased educational opportunities have led to a wider variety of jobs being available, leading to geographical mobility.

The increased desire for home ownership has led to the disruption of settled communities.

        The structure of the family seems remarkably resilient in responding to and shaping economic changes. The evidence suggests that the extended family network still exists and although many families are physically spread over a wide geographical area, communication occurs with the aid of cars and telephones.

The extended family still comes together in times of economic struggle and decline in periods of affluence, and that values percolate down from the higher social classes to the lower ones.        

Document Details

• Word Count 874
• Page Count 3
• Level AS and A Level
• Subject Sociology

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extended family

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• Academia - Extended Family and Kinship Networks: Economic Insights and Evolutionary Directions
• Face of the Earth - Extended Family

extended family , an expansion of the nuclear family (parents and dependent children), usually built around a unilineal descent group ( i.e., a group in which descent through either the female or the male line is emphasized). The extended family system often, but not exclusively, occurs in regions in which economic conditions make it difficult for the nuclear family to achieve self-sufficiency. Cooperation being necessary, aid is recruited, usually either from the patrilineal kin or the matrilineal kin. In traditional China , for example, the extended family ideally consisted of the nuclear family of the head of the household, his unmarried daughters, his sons and their families, his sons’ sons’ families and unmarried daughters, and so forth. The extended family may include more distant kin, but the uncles, aunts, or cousins usually belong to the same clan as members of the core lineage .

The relationships between members of the extended family are such that the form of address a person employs consists of an extension of nuclear family terms to a wider circle of relatives within the resident clan. In a matrilineal family, for example, a person might refer to his maternal uncle as “father” and to the latter’s children as “brothers” and “sisters.” The extended family does not necessarily live in the same dwelling, but normally the members live close together and work in teams.

It is common for the senior kin to assume the role of mate selection for those of marriageable age, who are considered too inexperienced to make a proper choice. Qualities sought in a spouse by the interested kin in an extended family include work ability, capacity to adapt, procreative power, status, and financial worth .

In common usage, the term extended family has been given a variety of meanings. It may, for example, refer to a household that includes other kin in addition to the members of the nuclear family (known in anthropological terminology as a conjugal family ), or it may be loosely applied to mean all living consanguineal kin . Compare nuclear family .

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Extended Family System

• Post author: Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC
• Post published: June 24, 2022
• Post category: Scholarly Articles

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Extended Family System: A Family is basically made of Nuclear and extended Family, the nuclear family also known as elementary family consists of only the Father, Mother, and Children, while the extended family is a family which extends beyond the nuclear family and consists of both the nuclear family and relatives such as Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, and Grandparents and other people connected by blood or non-blood relatives such as In-laws, Half siblings and adopted children.

An extended family system is a system of extended family, and in this article we shall be looking at the features, advantages and disadvantages of an extended family system.

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Table of Contents

What Is An Extended Family System?

An extended family system is a complex family structure which consists of two or more adults either connected by marriage or by blood living together in the same house and working towards a common goal such as raising the children and keeping up with household duties. An extended family includes Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews and other relatives living together and contributing towards the livelihood of each other.

A modified extended family system now includes family members and relatives living apart from each other but still contributing regularly to the livelihood of each other through their Financial contributions, material gifts or otherwise, but traditionally an extended family system just includes family members and relatives living together and performing the same function towards ensuring the functionality of the family.

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An extended family system is common in Asia, Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and Middle belt and it is usually practiced because it is more economical, mutually beneficial, and offers greater family security. An extended family system possesses the following features:

a. In an extended family system, there are numerous adults in the family who are not the parents of the children

b. In an extended family system, these adults often play a parent like role and contribute to providing for the family financially or otherwise.

c. In an extended family system, there is an increased sharing of cultural and cross generational family values.

d. An extended family system provides stability for the children, especially when their parents are separated

e. In an extended family system there is usually better assistance in the upbringing and training of children.

Also see: Roles played by Children in the family

Advantages (Merits) of An Extended Family System

The following are the advantages of an extended family system:

1. It is Economical: An extended family system is economical as it helps saves resources and promotes pooling of resources thereby reducing the financial burden on one person as all adults in the family contributes in one way or the other to the livelihood of the family.

2. It promotes Unity: When people are living together and sharing a good relationship with one another, there is usually peace and unity and this is fundamentally the case in an extended family system, unlike a system where Families live apart from each other, misunderstanding usually sets in and this results to normal fights amongst relatives common in many countries of the world today.

3. Building Family Bonds: An extended Family system does not only promote peace and unity in the family, but it also builds a strong family bond amongst each and every member of the family.

By living together, cooperating with one another, effectively communicating with one another, helping one another, working towards a common goal and maintaining a good relationship the bond between the members of the family naturally tightens.

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4. Inculcates Values: This extended family system inculcates family values, culture and traditions on the children and each member of the family and it results in the proper upbringing of children with values, morals and a sense of responsibility.

5. Promotes Child care support: One major advantage of an extended family system is that a child is not trained by only one person, each and every adult in the family contributes one way or the other in the training of the child and this produces a more redefined Child.

Asides from the training of a Child, an extended family system provides child care support by taking some workload of the parents a child, helping the children with their assignments, teaching them valuable things and collectively providing some of their needs. Thus, providing a much needed support to parents in training their children.

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6. Promotes Cooperation: Importantly, an extended family system breeds cooperation as each member of the family shares responsibilities both in performing house chores to providing the financial needs, to working together towards a common goal. All these breed a much needed cooperation amongst members of the family.

7. Promotes Socialization: Socialization is the ability to interact with other people and maintain a good social relations, and being raised in an extended family will help you to know how to interact well with people who you come across as in an extended family system you will be raised in a larger family system with many people, characters and visitors, and won’t be strictly restricted by your parents to the confines of your home.

Thus, you will meet more people and know how to socially relate with people.

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8. It curbs loneliness: With the presence of numerous people and characters around you, you may never feel lonely in an extended family system unlike a nuclear family wherein they can be only 3 – 5 persons in the house and most times just 1 or 2 or even only you if you are the only child. In this situation most often than not you will feel really lonely, but this cannot be the case in an extended family system.

9. It builds understanding: From living together, doing things together and consistently interacting with each other, an extended family system builds a great understanding between each member of the family; it also breeds cooperation, feeling of oneness, sharing, and caring for each other.

Just as these advantages are bountiful, the extended family system equally has some disadvantages. Let me consider these disadvantages.

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Disadvantages (Demerits) of an Extended Family System

1. No Independence: An extended family system often curbs the desired level of independence which an adult should exhibit as each member of the family depends on the efforts of each other to survive, as a matter of fact in an extended family nobody is in the voyage of his own, you will have to equally walk with other members of the family, equally share resources and cooperate with each other.

2. Breeds Laziness: This lack of independence often breeds laziness amongst members of the family especially the younger ones who believe that they have well to do aunts and uncles who could cater for their needs and send money when they needed.

Also see: Advantages and Disadvantages of Sole Proprietorship

3. Often leads to misunderstanding : While an extended family system builds understanding, it equally results to misunderstanding particularly due to the age gap between the members of the family.

The way a grandparent or an uncle will view and understand things could be totally different from how a teen will view and understand things, this therefore often results into misunderstanding between the members of the family.

4. Often breed Conflicts : An extended family system does not only breed does not only breed misunderstanding but it also breeds conflicts as there is usually power struggle amongst members of the family and struggle over the inheritance of the properties of the family.

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5. No personal space: Most times, in an extended family system members of the family may not have their desired personal space as there are many people in the house who could act as a distraction or may constitute disturbance to you when you really want your personal time, also members of your family often knows about your business and activities, and they may also interfere in your activities especially when they feel what you are doing is not right. Additionally, there are usually many visitors or bodily presence in the house, so therefore you may never get your desired personal space and privacy.

6. Leads to Interference: An extended family system massively leads to the interference of members of the family with your personal matters and choices such as your work, personal activities, relationship with others and marriage. Members of the family often interfere with quarrels and misunderstanding between a husband and wife in the compound and most often gives unsolicited advices.

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These are the basic advantages and disadvantages of an extended family system. I trust this article was insightful? For more informative articles, kindly stay glued to this blog.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.

what are the advantages and disadvantages of living in an extended family?

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Online currencies have become more common in recent years. Why is this? Is this a positive or negative development? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

The leaders or directors of organisations are often older people. some people think that young people can also be good leaders. do you agree or disagree, nowadays, older people who need employment have to compete with younger people. what problems does this cause and what are the solutions, schools should focus on academic success and passing examinations. skills such as cookery, dressmaking and woodworking should not be taught at school as it is better to learn these from family. to that extent do you agree or disagree, increasing numbers of students are choosing to study abroad. to what extent does this trend benefit the students themselves and the countries involved what are the drawbacks.

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‘nuclear family is better than the extended family' - by ama kwaa armah for a school debate.

Mr. Chairman, Well-meaning Panel of Judges, Impartial Timekeeper, Teachers, Fellow Debaters ,Students ,Ladies and Gentlemen, I deem it an honour and great pleasure done me to stand on this platform before you all to declare my posture on the subject: Nuclear family is better than the extended family. 

Family, Mr. Chairman, is a group of people who are related by blood, marriage or adoption. Families can be classified into two main forms and both forms are practised in Ghana .

Mr. Chairman, in my opinion, the extended family is better than the nuclear family. Though the extended family sometimes gives rise to conflicts, interference in other people’s affairs as my opponents argued, it is the best family system that you can ever have and I am sure by the time I am done, you will all be left with no other option than to rally behind me.

Mr. Chairman, the extended family helps people to pull their resources together.  That is the extended family members allow the well-to-do in the family to pull their resources in the form of money or material things to assist the poor in the family. They use their resources to undertake economic and social activities such as outdooring ceremonies, educating the brilliant but needy members, and rehabilitating the family house. What is more lovely than love and care?

Mr. Chairman, the extended family system leads to continual existence of the family. It is practically impossible and never will be possible that an extended family will die out completely. This is because the family consists of many nuclear members who give birth to replenish and sustain the family. But the nuclear family becomes threatened with collapse or extinction if family members die in a motor accident or through other causes.

Mr. Chairman there is effective socialization among members and the community. The extended family serves as an effective means of inculcating norms , values , and beliefs in the family members. The older generation pass on information and skills to the new generation and the information is passed on to the next generation. In this case everybody, is a winner! .

Mr. Chairman, Esteemed Panel of Judges , Accurate Timekeeper, Teachers ,Fellow Debaters, Students , Ladies and Gentlemen , I rest my case!

Ama Kwaa Arma ( 2014 Batch)

Some people think that it is best for extended families to live together Other people think that it is best for the nuclear family to live away from the extended family Which one do you prefer

Some people think that it is best for extended families to live together. Other people think that it is best for the nuclear family to live away from the extended family. Which one do you prefer?

Families are the most important parts of our society. If the families in a community are strong, it means this community is much more powerful. While some people think that the nuclear family living away from the extended family is the best, in my opinion, having extended families to live together is the best for some reasons such as helping each other and having a great time together as well as sharing the expenses.

First of all, if you live in an extended family, it means there are always some people who are willing to help you whenever you need. It is very beneficial, if you are in a bad situation. For instance, one of my friends lives with his grandfather. He had a terrible accident last week and his grandfather who has been retired looked after him all week. This experience thought me that, extendedP families to live together are good for everyone when they need help.

Moreover, living in an extended family provides an amazing opportunity to spend time together. To explain, everyone lives far away from each other in Turkey. Therefore, they can see each other only on holidays. For instance, I have not seen my grandmother who lives in Antalya since I was twenty years old. SinceI work too much, I do not have any opportunity to go to an other Pcity. If I lived with my extended family I would have a chance to spend more time with themP.

Furthermore, it is good extended families to live together for all of the house expensesP. If you live in a city, you must pay rent, gas and electricity bills as well as for credit cards… etc. It is really hard to pay them alone, but if you live with your extended family it means, you can share all the expenses. For instance, one of my friends lives with his uncle. Since they divide all the expenses he has an opportunity to live in a big house and to save his remain money.

In conclusion, living in an extended family brings a lot of advantages. Extended families can help each other and have an opportunity to see each other. If you live in a huge house and pay for only the part of all the expenses, it means you are the luckiest person in the world. Because of all these reasons, it is better to live in an extended families than in a nuclear family.

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Sentence: This experience

Sentence: This experience thought me that, extendedP families to live together are good for everyone when they need help. Error: extendedP Suggestion: extended

Sentence: If I lived with my extended family I would have a chance to spend more time with themP. Error: themP Suggestion: them

Sentence: Furthermore, it is good extended families to live together for all of the house expensesP. Error: expensesP Suggestion: expenses

flaws: No. of Different Words: 179 200

Attribute Value Ideal Score: 25 in 30 Category: Very Good Excellent No. of Grammatical Errors: 0 2 No. of Spelling Errors: 3 2 No. of Sentences: 22 15 No. of Words: 408 350 No. of Characters: 1763 1500 No. of Different Words: 179 200 Fourth Root of Number of Words: 4.494 4.7 Average Word Length: 4.321 4.6 Word Length SD: 2.325 2.4 No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 105 100 No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 76 80 No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 59 40 No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 20 20 Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0 Avg. Sentence Length: 18.545 21.0 Sentence Length SD: 10.268 7.5 Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.636 0.12 Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.329 0.35 Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.515 0.50 Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.133 0.07 Number of Paragraphs: 5 5

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David Firestone

Deputy Editor, the Editorial Board

Trump’s Misleading Attempt to Make Harris Responsible for Inflation

A new TV ad from Donald Trump’s campaign shows how desperate he is to tie Kamala Harris to President Biden’s economic policies, and how far he is willing to stretch the truth to make that point to voters who just aren’t buying it.

The ad, titled “The Debate We’ve All Been Waiting For: Harris vs. Harris,” shows Harris talking on a TV screen about high prices.

“Everyday prices are too high,” she says. “Food, rent, gas, back-to-school clothes.”

Then, on another TV screen beside the first one, she says, “That’s called Bidenomics.”

This goes on a few times, with Harris talking about the price of ground beef and housing, skillfully edited with a clip of her saying, “Bidenomics is working,” as if part of the same sentence.

FLASH: Multiple presidential campaign ads have run nationally on ABC during Clemson-Georgia so far including this Trump campaign spot -- pic.twitter.com/ppChtCkjwq — Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) August 31, 2024

But of course these remarks were not made at the same event, or even in the same year. She was talking about the high prices caused by the pandemic at an event last month in Raleigh, N.C. , where she acknowledged the financial pressure of inflation on middle-class families and unveiled an economic plan to address it.

The clips about Bidenomics were from a speech in Washington in August of 2023, where she was promoting the good news from the monthly jobs report that had come out that day. The full context of her remarks :

And as today’s jobs numbers make clear: Bidenomics is working. Last month, we created 187,000 new jobs. That means today — yeah, go ahead and clap. I don’t want to step on the applause. That means, today, 187,000 more Americans are able to go to work, to provide for their family and invest in their future. Today’s numbers reflect the point that President Biden has made many times: America’s economy is strong and experiencing stable and steady growth. In fact, since we took office, we have created more than 13 million new jobs. In two and a half years, we have created more jobs — more new jobs than any other administration has created in four.

Harris, now running her own campaign, won’t be using the word Bidenomics anymore; it will be uttered only by Republicans, trying to blame her for the post-pandemic rise in prices. That hasn’t been very successful so far. As a recent Washington Post poll shows , only about a third of Americans believe she had significant influence on Biden’s economic policies.

But Republicans won’t be mentioning the 15 million jobs created during the Biden administration, the robust stock market or the dwindling remains of inflation. Instead, following the standard Trump method, they will just issue a series of misleading, distorted ads.

Katherine Miller

Opinion Writer and Editor

In Harris’s Ads, Project 2025 Is No Longer a Joke

Every week on The Point, we kick things off with a tipsheet on the latest in the presidential campaign. Here’s what we’re looking at this week:

Donald Trump will speak to the Fraternal Order of Police board of trustees on Friday in North Carolina, then hold a rally near Wausau, Wis., on Saturday. Tim Walz will be in Pennsylvania on Wednesday and Thursday. After a fairly busy Labor Day weekend, Kamala Harris’s plans are so far light for the week — but presumably both she and Trump will be prepping for next week’s debate.

On Thursday, Judge Tanya Chutkan will hold a status hearing in the federal Jan. 6 case, in which Trump is still charged with four felony counts, after a variety of filings from both Trump’s team and prosecutors last week. We might find out more about what, if anything, will happen with the case before the election.

Just to give you a sense of how soon the election is in a world of absentee and early voting: In North Carolina, officials will begin mailing absentee ballots on Friday. That’s basically the earliest that happens, but over the next few weeks, more and more states will mail out absentee ballots or open early voting locations.

One thing, tonally, that came up during the Democratic convention was the shift toward more jokes about Trump versus the very solemn and dark approach often taken by President Biden. That sometimes created jarring swings in tones, particularly during the nightly segments on Project 2025, which often were delivered pretty ironically. A specific policy agenda like Project 2025 can either be a serious problem or an object of joking derision for critics, but it’s harder for it to be both, at the same time, from the same person. On television, however, the Harris campaign is running a dark, non-joking ad about Project 2025 with a vintage voice-over that feels like something from the 1990s or 2000s.

As we get closer to the election, it can be hard to keep up with what to read. Here’s some informative reporting from the last week worth checking out: Jazmine Ulloa of The Times drove around Pennsylvania looking for Nikki Haley voters and interviewed them about their diverging plans for the fall. David Weigel of Semafor took a look at the Trump campaign’s strategy in embracing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. There was a great article by Richard Rubin of The Wall Street Journal on what Harris’s tax plans would actually mean.

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Zeynep Tufekci

Opinion Columnist

Inspectors Found Mold and Meat Residue at a Boar’s Head Plant. How Could This Happen?

“How could this happen?” is a natural question to ask after hearing that nine people are dead and dozens have fallen ill from eating deli meats tainted with listeria, a hardy, deadly bacterium that can survive refrigeration and freezing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that this is certainly an undercount.

But amid the tragedy, Americans should also pause to ask, “How does this not happen all the time?”

The sobering Department of Agriculture inspection reports from a Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Va., make it clear that the failures are inexcusable. There are repeated citations for noncompliance with crucial rules like avoiding dripping or standing water (which can facilitate listeria growth). But the same inspection reports should also remind us of the extensive efforts — comprehensive regulations and diligent inspectors — to ensure that such failures are scandals rather than everyday events.

The U.S.D.A. inspectors duly noted that plastic or tarp was covering pipes — signs of a temporary fix to a leak. They noted small pieces of meat residue on food contact surfaces, even if those pieces were as small as one-fifths of an inch long. They noted pooled blood on the plant floor and rancid smells in coolers. They noted if any product was unlabeled. They noted “black moldlike substances” ranging from as small as a pinhead to the size of a quarter on walls. They noted when workers were on their phones while operating equipment. And so on.

It’s easy for companies to complain about excessive regulation, but consumers shouldn’t forget how hard it is to keep mass-produced food safe. Your food is kept safe quietly, day after day, because of extensive regulations born of experience and science. Eagle-eyed inspectors who notice even the tiniest bit of misplaced raw meat can save lives.

As this tragic listeria outbreak reminds us, regulations don’t work without accountability. When companies shirk their responsibilities, swift consequences should kick in, before someone dies or falls ill. Reports by the U.S.D.A. so far show there were no enforcement actions against Boar’s Head in the past year, despite these reports. It is unclear what penalties, if any, the company will face. Whatever they are, one can only hope they will deter other failures.

Bret Stephens

A Vague, Vacuous TV Interview Didn’t Help Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris didn’t hurt herself in her interview this week with CNN’s Dana Bash. She didn’t particularly help herself, either.

On the positive side, she came across as warm, relatable and — to recall Barack Obama’s famous 2008 exchange with Hillary Clinton — more than “ likable enough .” Harris refused to be baited into the identity-politics trap, emphasizing that she was running for president “for all Americans, regardless of race and gender.” And she had a nice line of attack against Donald Trump, observing the distinction between leaders who measure their strength according to whom they “beat down,” as opposed to those who measure it based on whom “you lift up.”

Less positive: She was vague to the point of vacuous. She struggled to give straight answers to her shifting positions on fracking and border security other than to say, “My values have not changed.” Fine, but she evaded the question of why it took the Biden administration more than three years to gain better control of the border, which it ultimately did through an executive order that could have been in place years earlier. It also didn’t answer the question of why she reversed her former policy positions — or whether she has higher values other than political expediency.

Harris also relied on a few talking points that may not serve her well in the next two months. She mentioned price gouging, but Americans probably won’t believe that grocery chains with razor-thin profit margins are the real culprits when it comes to their rising food bills. Her $100 billion plan to give first-time home buyers $25,000 in down payment support would mainly be an incentive for ever-higher home prices. Even Trump may be smart enough to explain just how inflationary the gimmick could be.

A bigger weakness in the interview was the presence of Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. Though he delivered a fine speech at the Democratic National Convention (brightly enhanced by his cheering son, Gus), he was transparently evasive in answering Bash’s questions about his misstatement about his military service, false claims about a D.U.I. arrest and misleading statements about his family’s fertility treatments. If there are other lies or untruths in Walz’s record, the campaign ought to get ahead of them now.

As for Bash, she is an intelligent and insistent reporter who isn’t afraid to ask follow-up questions when she gets flighty answers. But there was too much fluff in this interview to lay to rest doubts about Harris’s readiness for the highest office. Tougher questions next time, please.

Michelle Cottle

Opinion Writer

Kamala Harris’s TV Interview Was a Solid First Effort

I think that went pretty well, don’t you?

After all the hand-wringing about how Kamala Harris has been avoiding extended media interviews, the Democratic presidential nominee did a solid job tonight in her sit-down with CNN’s Dana Bash.

Did we get a deep dive into Harris’s policy positions? No, we did not. But that was not the point of this interview. This was about Harris introducing herself to Americans in her new role — and proving a few basic things to everyone.

Let’s zip through just a few of the things Harris needed to do — and how she did:

For starters, the vice president fielded awkward questions without ducking them and without getting flustered. This included multiple inquires about why, since 2019, her positions have changed on issues like fracking and border security.

Her response was that her values have not changed but her experience as vice president has given her a different perspective and made her appreciate the importance of achieving consensus. You may not like that answer, but she was confident and unapologetic in explaining herself.

The not-getting-flustered part was as important as the answers themselves. She absolutely needed to avoid giving any opening for the MAGA trolls — who are obsessed with machismo and performative toughness — to accuse her of being overly emotional or weak or easy to rattle. Amusingly, Bash looked more flustered than Harris did for most of the interview.

Moving right along: Harris needed to come across as serious and thoughtful and, well, presidential.

Mission accomplished. She consistently struck a tone that was reassuring and self-assured. She was serious and at times even a bit salty — as she was when contrasting the decency of President Biden with the utter indecency of Donald Trump. But she never seemed nasty or even super angry, which was also vital, since women simply cannot get away with that like men can. I’m sorry, but you know it’s true.

Bonus: She looked the part. Dignified. Put together. Confident. Steady. All the things.

Even as she projected strength and seriousness, Harris needed to give people a sense of her as a real person, to let them peek behind the curtain a bit. Her story about the morning that Biden called to tell her that he was stepping aside did this nicely. There were baby nieces and pancakes and bacon involved. What could be more American?

Does Harris still have questions to answer and concerns to allay? Yep. The self-defining is not yet done. But this felt like a good first effort.

Valerie Pavilonis

Opinion Editorial Assistant

Punish the Creators of Deepfakes, Not the Women in Them

On Wednesday, South Korean authorities began an investigation into a sprawling network of non-consensual, sexually explicit A.I. photos and videos of women and girls. “Deepfake videos may be dismissed as mere pranks,” said the South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, at a cabinet meeting this week, “but they are clearly criminal acts that exploit technology under the shield of anonymity.”

Deepfakes aren’t just South Korea’s problem; incidents involving politicians, celebrities and ordinary women have been reported in India , the United States , and Britain . A 2023 study by an online security company found that pornography makes up 98 percent of all deepfake videos — and that 99 percent of the people portrayed in those videos are women.

Advances in technology are frequently twisted from their original use and employed to humiliate women. I remember being enthused by online video as a 10-year-old, until I learned about revenge porn and rape videos , which document, for all time, the abuse of women and girls. Spy cameras were first used by actual spies (for better or worse); they then became tools to spy on women — especially South Korean women — in public restrooms, hotels and changing rooms. (Between 2013 and 2018, 30,000 spy camera incidents were reported in South Korea).

The new deepfake crisis is even more blatant. Apps and websites solely for “nudification,” in which a user uploads a clothed photo of someone in order to generate an undressed version, abound. And in the United States, many sexual deepfakes are often the work of teenage boys , which complicates prosecution.

Some U.S. jurisdictions are taking action. A few weeks ago, San Francisco filed a lawsuit in state court seeking to take down 16 such websites, and similar bills have recently been signed into law in Washington, South Dakota and Louisiana. But as with anything on the internet, regulation is like fighting a hydra: once you take down one site, more follow. As for South Korea, on Thursday, the government vowed to increase penalties on those found to have shared sexual deepfakes.

But Korean authorities, and authorities everywhere, should take care to avoid one common mistake: telling women to change their behavior, somehow, to make up for stagnant legal action. In the face of violence, women are often shamed into making themselves smaller, while their harassers walk free of consequence. Governments have an opportunity while A.I. technology is still nascent to do the opposite: to expose, shame and punish harassers.

Gail Collins

Whale Beheading, Bear Carcass Dumping and Trump Boosting, Oh My!

Our presidential folklore is awash with animal stories. Remember Franklin Roosevelt’s dog Fala? No? Well, it was a while ago. President Biden is a big dog lover, but his pets were exiled to Delaware after multiple biting episodes. Jill Biden brought in a cat to fill the void.

Kamala Harris has been photographed cuddling puppies, but if there’s going to be any Republican animal stories during the campaign this fall, chances are they’re going to be sort of unpleasant. Donald Trump doesn’t like animals — naturally, since they draw attention from him. And now he’s got a new supporter who’s famous for his run-ins with their corpses.

Yeah, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. once allegedly chain-sawed the head off a dead whale on a beach, bungee-corded it to the roof of his car and drove it five hours to the family home. Some years ago, Kennedy’s daughter Kick Kennedy called the episode “the rankest thing on the planet.”

People, does that remind you of anything? Back when Mitt Romney was running against Barack Obama, his son once told the story about a family vacation in which Romney put Seamus, their pet Irish setter, in a roof crate for a 12-hour drive to Canada. Apparently, Seamus weathered the trip fine, but the presidential campaign in 2012 was very boring . As a diversion, I decided to try to see how many times I could mention the story before Election Day. Diligent readers counted around 80 mentions.

How would you compare the whale incident with that? Does it make you miss Romney? Yes, he was boring, but we’ve certainly learned how much worse a candidate can be. Don’t forget: Kennedy also dumped a dead bear cub in Central Park. His explanation was that he’d found it on the side of a road and decided to take it home to refrigerate its meat. Then, upon realizing that he was late to a steakhouse dinner, he changed his mind and left the carcass in the park, creating a stir he called “amusing.”

Kennedy, you may remember, says he once suffered from memory issues because of a dead worm in his brain. He’s now supporting Trump for president, and Trump might even consider giving an administration job to his new pal.

No further comments seem necessary. Just remember that whale.

David French

Jack Smith’s New Case Against Trump Is Much Stronger Than His Old One

When thinking about including charges in an indictment, prosecutors can decide which claims to make by asking whether the charge is strong or weak. In other words, does the evidence clearly support the charge, or would they be stretching either the evidence or the legal theory to make the case?

But there’s another, related calculation, and that’s asking whether the claim is clean or complicated. By “clean,” I mean simple and direct. Is this a charge, regardless of the strength of evidence, that the jury will find easy to understand? Obviously, the best possible case to bring is one that’s both clean and strong: The statutes and evidence are straightforward. The case is relatively easy to make.

And that’s exactly how I’d describe the new Jack Smith indictment of Donald Trump . I disagree strongly with the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling, but to the extent there is any silver lining in that dark constitutional cloud, it’s that for Smith, less is truly more.

Even absent the immunity ruling, Smith’s first indictment would have given Trump room to argue that he was doing nothing more than using the levers of government power to investigate election fraud, a classic function of the Department of Justice. His actions were corrupt and unprecedented, but their official nature gave him hope for a defense.

Trump’s fake electors scheme, by contrast, was a campaign function, not an exercise of presidential power.

In fact, during the oral argument in Trump v. United States, Amy Coney Barrett elicited a series of representations from Trump’s counsel that a number of claims in the original indictment involved Trump’s private conduct. For example, she asked if it was private conduct when “three private actors; two attorneys, including those mentioned above; and a political consultant helped implement a plan to submit fraudulent slates of presidential electors to obstruct the certification proceeding, and petitioner” — Trump — “and a co-conspirator attorney directed that effort.”

Trump’s attorney affirmed, “That’s private.”

Not only is that private; it’s among the strongest claims in the whole case. There was never a credible argument for fake electors. And by conspiring to submit fraudulent electoral votes, Trump’s conduct fits squarely within precedent for federal offenses .

If Trump wins the presidency again, the case will disappear. But if he loses, he’ll stand trial, and Smith has now brought a much better case against the former president.

Frank Bruni

Contributing Opinion Writer

Why Kamala Harris Might Just Win North Carolina

When Vice President Kamala Harris started talking policy with a heavily promoted speech about voters’ top concern — the economy — where do you suppose she did it?

My home state, North Carolina. And my governor, Roy Cooper, was the Democrat chosen to introduce her on the climactic final night of the party’s convention.

But then Donald Trump stages a rally in North Carolina seemingly every other week — often enough that I’m terrified he’ll build and start hanging out at some Tar Heel analogue of Mar-a-Lago. He’s fixated on this place.

For good reason. North Carolina has 16 Electoral College votes — the same as Georgia, one more than Michigan and only one fewer than Ohio. And they appear to be in play. On Tuesday, the Cook Political Report moved North Carolina into the tossup category .

The state hasn’t voted Democratic in a presidential election since 2008, when Barack Obama won, but Joe Biden lost here in 2020 by only about 75,000 votes, or under 1.4 percentage points.

And 2024 is different. Political analysts here tell me that they’re struck by the burst of energy for the Harris campaign and its significant investment in the state, where, according to the Pew Research Center, about 23 percent of eligible voters are Black, in contrast to 14 percent nationally. They haven’t seen anything like it since 2008.

Additionally, Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., noted that in the Republican presidential primary here, Nikki Haley received hefty percentages of the votes in urban counties even though her campaign by then was a lost cause. That suggests a potent anti-Trump sentiment among moderate Republicans and independents.

There’s yet another distinctive dynamic this time around. The slate of Republican candidates for statewide office is MAGA fury through and through. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor, is a firebrand with a history of misogynistic, homophobic, antisemitic and altogether deranged remarks . Michele Morrow, the Republican nominee for superintendent of public instruction, has suggested that Cooper, Biden, Obama, Hillary Clinton and Anthony Fauci should be executed for treason — and that Obama’s killing should be televised.

Asher Hildebrand, a fellow professor at Duke University’s School of Public Policy, said that while that extremism probably won’t “push too many voters to the polls for Harris, it very well might keep some Trump voters home.”

And in an election potentially decided by one measly percentage point, such disaffection absolutely could turn North Carolina blue.

Jesse Wegman

Editorial Board Member

Even the Supreme Court Can’t Save Trump From Himself

If you’re going to subject yourself to one of Donald Trump’s social media tirades, it’s generally best to do so with a strong drink close at hand. Every now and then, however, the former president’s all-caps screeds offer a useful road map to understanding the basics of whatever issue he’s raving about — as long as you flip everything he says right-side up.

On Tuesday, Trump took to his failing website , Truth Social, to rage against the special counsel Jack Smith’s new and improved indictment against him for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

“For them to do this after our Supreme Court Victory on Immunity and more, is shocking,” Trump wrote. The new indictment, he claimed, “has all the problems of the old Indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY.”

Poor Trump. He was confident that after the Supreme Court — his Supreme Court — went rogue last month and immunized him from prosecution for virtually all “official” acts, he was in the clear.

But the Supreme Court’s bonkers decision did leave a few doors open for criminal prosecutions of former presidents, and Smith has taken full advantage of them. His new indictment, while nine pages shorter than the original, retains all the same fraud, obstruction and conspiracy charges. It leaves out only the actions that the court’s majority ruled were unquestionably immune, such as Trump’s attempts to force the Justice Department to investigate nonexistent voter fraud in swing states. In this regard, it very conspicuously does not have “all the problems of the old indictment.”

Nor is it accurate to say, as Trump did, that “you’re not even allowed to bring cases literally right before an Election.” He was referring, presumably, to the Justice Department’s so-called 60-day rule , which is not actually a rule but a general guideline that prohibits taking overt steps that could influence how people vote in an upcoming election.

This is a sensible caution in a rule-of-law society, but it doesn’t apply to existing cases that are already filed and under the control of the judicial branch, as Smith’s prosecution of Trump has been for more than a year.

In fact, this is only an issue because Trump, abetted by the right-wing majority of the Supreme Court, has appealed and delayed the proceedings at every step. The justices had multiple opportunities to fast-track Trump’s appeals as early as December. They rejected all of them with no explanation, waiting until the very last moment to issue a ruling with zero constitutional support.

Now Trump is acting as if it’s all so unfair — or “lawfare and weaponization,” as he put it. So flip that right-side up: He’s the person who chose to weaponize the law, and the presidency, no one else. If the rule of law means anything, it means that he will face accountability for his actions, sooner or later.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz Are Road-Tripping Through Georgia. Could They Actually Win There?

I can see why many people might not consider late August the best time to head to the Deep South. So hot. So sticky. But this week strikes me as the perfect moment for the Democratic presidential ticket to take a quick bus tour around southern Georgia.

Hot off their multiday love fest in Chicago, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are making clear they intend to play hard for Georgia, a battleground state, and not just in the politically blue, population-rich metro area of Atlanta. With the presidential race promising to be tight and ugly, they are wisely venturing outside the party’s usual comfort zones and are sending a message similar to the one from their preconvention road trip around Pennsylvania: We will show up in every part of the state and fight for every vote.

It seems worth noting that southern Georgia has an abundance of Black voters, a demographic the Democratic Party was feeling very shaky about when President Biden was looking like the nominee — and is hoping to re-energize now that Harris is at the top of the ticket. But even before Biden stepped aside, the party was investing in the area. “The South Georgia region is a priority for the campaign,” a representative for the Harris team told NBC . “We have nearly 50 full-time staff across seven offices in the area, including Valdosta. We have hosted more than 500 events in the region since May 31.”

Team Trump is not conceding any ground. Last week Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, headlined an event in Valdosta, a majority-Black city not too far from the Florida state line. (Although it was Vance’s cringey stop at an area doughnut shop that wound up being widely shared on social media.)

So far, Trump has a polling edge in the state. But his troubled history with Georgia, where he is widely believed to have cost Republicans a Senate seat or two in recent years, makes it tricky terrain. Also, he has struggled to let go of his feud with the state’s popular governor, Brian Kemp. Just a few weeks ago, Trump trashed Kemp at a rally in Atlanta. This freaked out more than a few Republicans, and some kind of truce was brokered. Last week, Kemp endorsed Trump on Fox News.

Still, there is a whole lot of bad blood swirling around the state, and the entire situation feels unsettled — and potentially exploitable by the Democrats.

A postconvention bus tour feels like a good place to start.

Serge Schmemann

After Israel’s Hostage Rescue, Could There Finally Be a Cease-Fire Deal?

The rescue of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza on Tuesday was hailed as something of a miracle in Israel. But it did little to quell the anger among many Israelis over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resistance to a cease-fire deal that would bring home all the remaining hostages — dead and alive.

The details of the rescue were not immediately clear. The Israeli military spoke of a “complex military operation.” Unnamed senior Israeli officials told The Times that commandos were scouring Hamas tunnels when they came upon Farhan al-Qadi, 52, a member of Israel’s Bedouin minority who was working at a kibbutz when he was seized in the Hamas raid of Oct. 7. In either case, he was the eighth hostage to be freed by the military.

With the latest rescue, 108 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, including 13 whose deaths have been confirmed, according to Haaretz. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that represents the families of the hostages, said that the rest cannot hope to be freed by military operations. “A deal is the only way to secure the return of the remaining 108 hostages — the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for proper burial,” it said in a statement .

A deal seemed tantalizingly close at the end of May, when President Biden reported progress toward a phased cease-fire that would lead to the liberation of all remaining hostages and end the grueling fight that has taken more than 40,000 Palestinian lives. But since then, both Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, the elusive Hamas leader in Gaza, have repeatedly put roadblocks in the way of an agreement, with Netanyahu insisting on the full destruction of Hamas and Sinwar saying he would accept only a permanent end to hostilities. Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken, told reporters that a bridging proposal offered by Washington was probably the best — and possibly the last — opportunity for a deal. The last round of talks ended in Cairo on Sunday without one.

Netanyahu’s insistence on a decisive victory has placed him at odds not only with the hostages’ families but also with the Israeli military, which questions whether a total victory over Hamas is feasible and is concerned about a potential clash with Hezbollah. More broadly, polls have shown that a majority of Israelis support a cease-fire in exchange for the hostages.

Al-Qadi did not join the debate as he profusely thanked those responsible for his liberation. But in a meeting with the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, al-Qadi urged the government “to do everything to bring people home.”

“Twenty-four hours without sleep,” he said. “People are suffering, suffering you can’t imagine.”

Tulsi Gabbard’s Trumpy Transition Is Now Complete

Step back, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. You aren’t even the most interesting ex-Democrat-turned-MAGA-tool to endorse Donald Trump this month.

For my money, that would be Tulsi Gabbard, the former House member and 2020 contender to unseat President Trump.

Gabbard has been on quite the political journey. She never got much traction in her 2020 race. But she did win herself a small but intensely passionate following based heavily on her isolationist leanings — which, admittedly, are more electrifying than most, thanks to her penchant for making indulgent statements about bloodthirsty strongmen such as Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin. Indeed, Gabbard’s soft-on-Russia musings have been at times so striking that Hillary Clinton publicly called her “a Russian asset,” prompting Gabbard to sue Clinton for defamation. (Gabbard later dropped the suit.)

Gabbard quit the Democratic Party in 2022 and became an independent, saying it had fallen “under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness,” and promptly began making nice with the red team. She hit the campaign trail for Republican candidates in the midterms. She spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference . Conveniently, she was already a hot guest on Fox News.

For this election, she has settled snugly into the MAGA fold — all the more so since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. Gabbard has been helping Trump with his debate prep . During a primary debate in 2019, you may recall, Gabbard hit Harris hard from the left — successfully enough to leave a mark and tick off Harris . Trump, who has been struggling to figure out how to deal with his new opponent, is clearly hoping some of Gabbard’s mojo rubs off on him.

Just in case anyone had any doubts as to her new allegiance, Gabbard endorsed Trump on Monday. They appeared together at a National Guard conference in Detroit, on the third anniversary of the bombing in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members. A National Guard veteran, Gabbard asserted that Trump “understands the grave responsibility that a president and commander in chief bears for every single one of our lives.”

The next day, Trump announced that Gabbard was joining his transition team, as is Mr. Kennedy.

Team Trump is presumably betting that bringing on former Democrats will send a signal that his campaign is the one with a big tent and mainstream appeal. But when we’re talking about characters as … colorful as Gabbard and Kennedy, I’m betting the signal to many voters is that Trump’s G.O.P. is the home of the politically strange.

‘Free Speech’ Should Not Shroud Criminal Activity

The detention in France of Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of the messaging app Telegram, has sparked a loud outcry about free speech. Elon Musk has portrayed the arrest on his X account as an ominous threat to free speech, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. referred to the app as an “encrypted, uncensored” platform and said “the need to protect free speech has never been more urgent.”

It’s a curious case, and the French government hasn’t helped matters by releasing information in dribs and drabs. While it is possible that there are free speech issues entangled here, some early details suggest the issue may be one of criminal activity.

On Monday, the French prosecutor said in a statement that Durov — who is a citizen of France, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis and the United Arab Emirates — was being held for questioning in connection with an investigation into criminal activities on the app, including the trading of child sexual abuse material as well as drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering. Notably, Telegram explicitly boasts that it has never disclosed user data to any government, ever.

Questions have long swirled around Telegram. Contrary to widespread belief, Telegram is not encrypted in any meaningful sense. That would be “end to end” encryption, so that even the company couldn’t read users’ messages. Telegram — and anyone it chooses — can read all group chats, and there is no way to fully encrypt them. Those very large groups are the main attraction of the platform.

Private chats on Telegram also lack end-to-end encryption by default. Here, though, users can undergo an onerous process to turn on end-to-end encryption, which then applies only to that conversation. Even the protection provided to private chats is murky: Cryptography experts have long questioned whether Telegram’s limited encryption actually meets security standards.

Durov was born in Russia, where Telegram is used widely. The Kremlin has Durov’s back: It issued a statement that unless more evidence is provided, Durov’s detention may be “a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication.” Russian antiwar activists have long wondered how the Kremlin seems to know so much about their activities on Telegram. (Good question.)

Free speech is an important value, but protecting it does not mean absolving anyone of responsibility for all criminal activity. Ironically, Telegram’s shortage of end-to-end encryption means the company is likely to be more liable simply because it can see the criminal activity happening on its platform. If, for example, Telegram did not cooperate with authorities at all after receiving legal warrants for information about criminal activities, that would mean trouble even in the United States, with its sweeping free speech protections.

Neel V. Patel

Opinion Staff Editor

Faced With the Boeing Starliner’s Flaws, NASA Gets a Couple of Things Right

Odysseus may lay claim to the most delayed and perilous trip back home, but the NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are giving him a run for his money. What was supposed to be a weeklong mission to the International Space Station will now be an eight-month stay in space, after the spacecraft they launched aboard, the Boeing Starliner, experienced some unexpected glitches .

Boeing has been utterly humiliated by the Starliner’s failure, not least because the company’s rival, SpaceX, will take Wilmore and Williams home. But it’s NASA that deserves applause: Faced with an unsettling turn of events for its human spaceflight program, the agency has gotten a couple of things right.

It got the first thing right nearly a decade ago. In September 2014, NASA awarded contracts to both SpaceX and Boeing for their commercial crew programs, effectively saying it would pay two companies to develop new spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the space station. The veteran aerospace firm Boeing was awarded $4.2 billion, while the newcomer SpaceX was awarded $2.6 billion.

While both companies’ programs were mired in delays, SpaceX eventually vaulted ahead of Boeing and pulled off a successful crewed flight to space in 2020. Boeing remained sluggish. Throughout this period, NASA emphasized that the whole reason it gave contracts to two companies in the first place was in case one company hit snags. The wisdom of that choice is on full display now, as Wilmore and Williams can return home on a SpaceX mission, after the Boeing mission went awry. Redundancy paid off.

NASA got one other thing right during this debacle. Though Wilmore and Williams are trapped in space until February, the agency is wisely playing it safe. There isn’t much reason to think the Starliner couldn’t securely bring the astronauts back to Earth. But NASA is choosing not to risk a repeat of the tragic Challenger and Columbia disasters. Taking risks is a fundamental part of spaceflight, but the United States is no longer in a race to beat the Soviets. NASA can and should take its time to reduce the odds of risk whenever possible. It’s the right thing to do.

The astronauts’ delayed return must be truly aggravating for both of them and their families. But it’s unquestionably preferable to an alternative outcome that would put them both in any sort of elevated danger.

Pamela Paul

Gus Walz Brought Out Both the Joy and the Cruelty

Gus Walz’s unbridled emotional reaction last week at the Democratic National Convention to the nomination of his father, Gov. Tim Walz, embodied both the humanity that lies beneath the political process and the momentousness of the political process itself.

In other words, Gus reacted the way he did because he recognized the import of his father’s nomination. And because the man onstage was his father — “That’s my dad!” — a man who raised and supported and accepted and loved him for who he is, a 17-year-old boy with anxiety and a learning disorder and, as Tina Brown wrote in her gorgeous essay on Friday, a human being like any other.

Gus’s reaction was beautiful. And then things got ugly .

In response to Gus’s exuberance, Ann Coulter posted on X, “Talk about weird …” (She later took her post down.) “Sorry, but this is embarrassing for both father and son,” the conservative radio host Jay Weber posted. “If the Walzs represent today’s American man, this country is screwed,” he said, adding a crude insult of the teenage Walz. (He, too, removed his post.)

Perhaps they didn’t know the context. They didn’t know anything about Gus Walz beyond the politics of his father. They didn’t realize they should have been kind. Few people do before issuing a least-charitable-interpretation potshot. People’s private lives, their psychological state, their family or personal circumstances and their disabilities are often invisible. This is as true for public figures as it is for private citizens. Gus didn’t deserve “special” treatment — he deserved the kind of treatment any person does.

If nothing else, Gus reminds us of what an unfiltered human reaction looks like and what a sharp contrast it makes with the noxious swill of performance, hot takes and low blows that passes for online political commentary.

Let’s dwell on that contrast for a moment. Gus’s surge of emotion offered an image of us at our all-too-human best. Those who chose to disparage him reeked of our all-too-human worst. Gus Walz showed us what it means to really care about other people. His critics made clear they’ve forgotten how.

Patrick Healy

Deputy Opinion Editor

Harris Has the Momentum. But Trump Has the Edge on What Matters Most.

Every Monday morning on The Point, we kick off the week with a tipsheet on the latest in the presidential campaign. Here’s what we’re looking at this week:

We’ll know soon what kind of polling bounce Kamala Harris got out of her very good convention in Chicago. I’m especially curious how she’s faring in Pennsylvania and Georgia, which are the most critical battlegrounds in the race. Given Harris’s and the convention’s focus on themes like patriotism, small-town values and the economy, I can see her gaining a couple of points in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Democrats’ hammering of Trump on abortion is also going to help Harris in Pennsylvania and Arizona, where abortion rights is a hot-button issue.

The Democrats’ Joyfest is Over. Now Comes The Slugfest.

But consider this: Harris has won the vast majority of news cycles since she declared her candidacy. And yet, she is only two or three percentage points ahead of Trump in the national polling average and effectively tied with him in the seven swing states that will decide the election. Structural factors — polarization, the gender gap, Republicans’ advantage in the Electoral College — are keeping this race tight.

To that end, with early voting only weeks away, the battle between Harris and Trump will be to find the best strategies for the three most important elements of this campaign.

Defining the race: Harris wants to make the race about the future, freedom and unity; Trump wants to make the race about the past, his presidency and threats to the country. Harris has effectively cast the race as a choice between her and Trump, which helps her because he is so unpopular. But there is still time for this to change, especially if an unexpected or outside event suddenly shifts voter attention to safety or national security.

Defining Harris: So far, Harris is also winning on this front, positioning herself as the candidate of change — an appealing image to many voters. Trump is trying to define her as “ dangerously liberal ” and as the de facto incumbent, but even some Republican strategists tell me that they don’t see strong evidence this is catching on. Trump will campaign in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania later this week; watch for whether he starts trying to define her anew.

Defining Trump: The former president is struggling. He is trying to appeal to moderate and independent voters by opposing a national abortion ban and talking about the economy; if he had the discipline to bear down on the cost of living, trade and immigration, he’d be doing better than he is in Pennsylvania, where those issues resonate. But as the Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik put it to me, the only way Trump can win the presidency is by turning out his vote strongly and edging out his opponent with sufficient numbers of swing voters — which is what he did successfully in 2016.

Right now, Harris has the momentum, but I think the Electoral College currently favors Trump . Nothing will be more critical than the Sept. 10 debate to define the race, Trump and Harris. A debate changes things in an instant. Just ask Joe Biden.